The Quite Ordinary and Utterly Unremarkable Guide to Charming Glass
by velvet-sometimes
Summary: It is quite a thing, to be the eldest of three. And Sophie Hatter had contented herself with her perfectly 'lovely' and ordinary existence in Market Chipping. But giving in to the temptation of a dusty old tome opens the way to a dangerous journey, where beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and the greatest adventure is learning how to 'see'.
1. Leisure

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Leisure **

Sophie Hatter thought herself to be rather lucky, given that being eldest of three was so _unlucky_. She had a lovely little bookshop, _Propriety Books_, that passed to her by her master upon the completion of her apprenticeship, and she had a lovely little house out behind it, in a lovely little town called Market Chipping. The people were all quite nice, and business was just steady enough that she was content in her work, with enough time for a leisurely read as she waited on her customers.

Really, the only way she thought to describe her life, was _lovely_.

"Of course, Mrs. Smith," she told the older woman with a smile, lifting the folding board that separated the counter and the back room from the store proper. "_The Proper Guide To Cooking_ came in just this morning. Let me go into store room and fetch it for you."

"If you could hurry, dearie, I've errands to run!" Mrs. Smiths voice called out to her as she disappeared behind the curtain into the dimly lit storeroom.

**********Note: Welcome to my newest adventure in the world of Studio Ghibli! I expect most of you early readers will be those who just finished _Ablution;_ my _Spirited Away_ piece. But I do hope that each and every one of you who stops in to read find yourself enjoying yourselves. One last note before I'm off, I'd like to inform you all that this is indeed a Drabble series. Which means chapters between 100 and 300 words long. Do not fret though.**  



	2. Labyrinthine

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Labyrinthine**

"_A Kiss can beautify souls, hearts, and thoughts_." That was the last line she had read of her book before Mrs. Smith had come calling, and the line swirled in her brain as if on an endless loop as she traversed the labyrinthine pathways of her store-room, created by piles and boxes and shelves of books that had yet to find a home after having arrived.

"_The Proper Guide To Cooking_." she murmured to herself as she scanned the labels on the boxes, heaving a couple out of her way so she could check behind them.

"Not you. Not you." she rattled off with every box that was destined to be not what she was searching for. "Definitely not yo- Hello there." Sophie pause, coming across a dusty old box she didn't remember having seen before. "And who might you be?" she asked softly, setting down the heavy package in her arms so she could inspect the oddity.

She carefully lifted the aged box into her arms, fingering the note that was tied with twine to the outside of it.

"Dear reader," she began, blowing the dust from the surface of the paper. "If you find yourself to be holding this parcel in your hands, you must have been gifted with _Propriety Books_ and found it while looking for something or other. I implore you, whoever you may be, to set this box back where you have found it and once again forget that you ever found it as all, less you give into the temptation and open it. It is a book, of course you nosy fellow, but a very particular book that you should find all sorts of things amiss if you were to read it. If you value your quaint and quiet life, please return to what you where doing."

Sophie leveled the package with her gaze for a long moment, before setting it back down. "Well, you couldn't be more concise than that."

**********Note: So a second update today, as per my norm, because I feel in drabble series that a single to begin with is far too short to capture someone's attention. **  



	3. Comely

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Comely**

She continued on with her search, giving out a soft noise of pleasure when she finally came across the proper box, which did indeed contain the comely paperback she had been searching for.

She lifted a single copy from the box, bringing it forward so she could run reverent fingers across it's uncreased spine, before carefully opening it so she could smell the pages; enjoying the crisp sound that accompanied the covers being opened for the first time. Oh how she loved the scent of freshly printed ink. It always reminded her of sitting on her fathers knee as a child, and curious fingertips following the lines of prose as he carefully sounded out words for her to mimic.

"Sophie, dearie!" Came the voice of Mrs. Smith from the front of the shop, breaking her from her revery. "Have you found it yet?"

"Oh my! Yes ma'am, Just now in fact." She called back in reply, setting the book down atop another box so she could move others back into their proper places before taking it in hand again and moving toward the store proper.

Her eyes only strayed to the mystery package and it's ominous note for a brief moment before she flipped the curtain open with a flick of her wrist and set _The Proper Guide To Cooking_ down upon the counter before Mrs. Smith with a flourish.

"Here we are ma'am, that will be Ninety-Two cents."

"My, how expensive!"

**********Note: I hope you darlings have been having a lovely day thusfar! Not to worry; I've already 32 chapters of this piece completed, edited, and waiting to be posted for your enjoyment! And for you new readers who are less familiar with how I run things here, as long as I've buffer chapters in waiting and am not laid up for some reason or another, I work with daily updates, as I feel it's rather silly to wait an entire week for a mere 200 word drabble. **  



	4. Forbearance

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Forbearance**

Sophie Hatter had always contained the forbearance to hold herself back from curiosity.

It was said that it was what killed the cat after all, and Sophie was nothing if not properly content. It did not do to dwell on things of a mysterious sort. Adventures and risks and such empty nonsense never did anyone any good.

Besides, she _liked_ her quaint and quiet life, and that note had so adamantly told her that such a thing would be at risk of all sorts of things going amiss in it should she give in to looking at the book hidden beneath it.

So why did she continuously find herself thinking about the oddity? _Could_ it be that she was curious for a taste of the unseen after all? Sophie had never even entertained the thought before; she was the eldest of three, after all, and adventure was something that always led to the downfall of the eldest of three.

And yet here she was, standing before her desk in her nightgown, covered in dust and grime after having searched in dim candlelight for the package.

Maybe Sophie Hatter was bored with _lovely_.

**********Note: Since I've gotten a couple of PMs on the subject, I thought I'd answer my most frequently asked question here: What my Chapter Title theme is. Anyone who follows my work knows that I have a central theme to them, even if that doesn't always match the story itself. And for this story, it's not quite as obvious as to where I'm going. Objectively, I didn't think it would be: The theme to my titles this time is that they are all favorite words of mine that I feel not enough people use. So take this as my one-woman attempt at giving you a vocabulary word of the day. Don't worry; You'll actually, _probably_ know most of them if you sit down and think about it for a moment. **  



	5. Denouement

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Denouement**

Sophie needed a bit of spice to her _lovely_ existence, anything to give her something more than the ordinary she'd settled for, being the eldest of three. She needed denouement. She needed a bit of rebellion. Nothing _too_ wild, but enough to soothe the feathers that had been ruffled at the notes implying idea of being _lovely_ and nothing more.

But above all, she needed to _know_.

And with that thought settled in her head, Sophie went about untying the aged twine. Setting the slightly crumpled and yellowed letter, with it's dogeared corners, neatly off to the side so that she could go about opening the box itself.

And when she peeled the cardboard back, reaching inside to lift the mysterious book from it's prison and bring it to her lips so she could blow the dust from it's cover, Sophie Hatter for the first time in a long time, found herself at a loss for words.

"_The Quite Ordinary and Utterly Unremarkable Guide to Charming Glass._" Sophie recited, looking down at the book with such an odd expression that she herself didn't know where to begin in sorting out her emotions toward it. "And here I was expecting something with so much more... muchness to it."

**********Note: Hello hello there, one and all! I'm so please to present you with the next chapter, and inform you all that I'm about 10 drabbles into another new one That i've yet to begin to post, but you can look forward to seeing either later today, or tomorrow afternoon. **  



	6. Quintessential

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Quintessential**

Sophie set the book down upon the worn surface of her writing desk, smoothing her hands across it's leather cover.

"You're not a real magical book." she accused, crossing her arms in front of her in a fit of displeasure. "You are a prank set by Mr. Brom, the previous shop-keeper. I'm not going to fall for it though; not at all. I'm quite sensible and not at all prone to flights of fancy." Sophie continued to stand there though, glaring at it as if had done her a personal injustice, before reaching forward to flip open the cover and turn to a random page. It was blank though, save for a single line of text.

"It is quintessential to start where everything begins; on page one."

Blinking as if quite startled, Sophie turned to another page, flipping though them quickly; they all held the same message.

"I knew you were a prank." she murmured accusingly, but shifted uneasily from one foot to the other, before finally pulling out her desk chair and sitting down, flipping all the way back to the first page.

This time, it wasn't blank.

**********Note: Good Afternoon! (Oh whatever part of the day it is where you happen to be when you read this.) I'm so glad you all are enjoying this sorry, as slowly as it begins. Never fear though: Plot. It's what's for breakfast as I just rolled out of bed.**  



	7. Eloquence

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Eloquence**

Sophie quietly read aloud the text on the first page, marveling at the eloquence in which the narrator began though he seemed as if he was speaking to her directly. "_There are many types of enchantments to which their uses pertain to glass, and so a forward would be a pleasant addition to the prose, but alas, this tome is for hands-on learning, and so we shall start right away at the beginning of lesson number one. For this you will need, of course, something glass, and an instrument in which to write on it. Anything will do. So come now, hurry about and gather your supplies._"

She looked up and around, almost frantic, before her eyes settled on the empty coke-bottle sitting upon the edge of her desk in which she'd forgotten to throw into the rubbish bin. She took it in hand and set it before the book, before then searching about for a quill.

"There, I think that should do it." she spoke into the emptiness of her home, feeling as though she should whisper though she knew she was alone. It was Sunday, after all, and her neighbors would be sleeping. "The book _did_ say that anything would work."

Sophie Hatter then took a deep breath and turned back to the page before her to continue reading. "_Perfect choices, now it is time to turn your ordinary object into a scrying glass. These objects are used to view distant lands and people, and are the simplest of objects to create with the correct symbols. Copy the diagram from the bottom of the page onto your object. Chop Chop now._"

**********Note: Afternoon everyone! Today's been wonderful, at least on my end of the monitor; I woke up and had my morning tea via skype with my best-friend/the-love-of-my-life I'm soon to move in with while she made to get ready for work, Got some things done around the house, played with Calsifer (my adorable tabby tom-cat) and am soon to begin writing more! **  



	8. Epiphany

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Epiphany **

Sophie wiped at the dust on her face, acutely aware of the dark smudge on the tip of her nose as so heavily accented by her warped reflection in the coke bottle she'd been so thoroughly covering in tiny dark symbols, but she only succeeded in smearing ink along the arch of her cheekbone, adding to her disheveled appearance.

And in doing so, Sophie Hatter had an epiphany: She was actually doing this. She was committed to the completion of this 'scrying glass', _real_ or not. As if it were a promise of something grander than _lovely_. As if it were some sort of gift to pull her out of the routine she had contented herself with.

Turning back to the tome before her, she turned back to reading the next section of the instructions.

"_Wonderfully done,_" The book praised. "_Now all that is left is for you correct the second symbol to the left of the crossed sphere; your line is slightly crooked._" she paused to fix it, unperturbed by the fact that _yes_, the book was indeed talking to her personally. "_Now then, you need to flip to the next page, where there will be a simple incantation for you to recite, come and flip me over._"

She did, sounding out the words slowly, trying to figure out what they meant.

"_We'll practice on your wording for a bit. This incantation is in Latin; try rolling your 'R's a bit more. Perfect. Perfect. Now turn to the glass itself and recite it._"

The resulting of-shooting of magical energies caused her entire house to shake.

**********Note: Sorry this didn't get updated sooner today; I had another minor surgery this afternoon and was sleeping off the anesthesia. This was my Third of Five, so _thankfully_, I'm almost done with them all, and will be completely healed up and doing just fine soon. **  



	9. Penumbra

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Penumbra**

Nothing in her room appeared to be broken, and her coke-bottle looked just as perfect as it had the moment before, though the only significant change in it was that all of her squiggly black symbols where gone; replaced by neat carvings in the glass.

"_Come now and look though your finished product; I assure you, my erstwhile pupil, that it is a perfect looking glass. Merely utter the name of any person or place you wish to view._"

And so she did, closing one eye and focusing on the rounded bottom of her bottle, pausing only momentarily as she noticed through the warping of it that through the window she was seated in front of, she could see smoke on the horizon; a sure sign of the Wizard Howl's movement across the valley folding.

"That Wizard Howl is such a terror." she murmured to herself before turning her attention back to the task at hand, and found herself shocked when through it, the view of her window faded, to be replaced with a Penumbra that was slowly gaining definition.

She gave a strangled half-shout of dismay when the image focused on a young man in an undoubtedly expensive suit that was almost flamboyant in how brightly colored it was. "Oh no, no no. I didn't mean for you to show me _Him_!"

The mass of light blonde hair that had been turned from her eyes, -leaning hunched over a something or other on his desk- snapped up, turning in her direction blue eyes that were almost white.

"A coke-bottle? How in the world did you..." He began, looking thoroughly surprised to be seeing her before some sort of dawning came into his eyes and he jumped from his seat so quickly that his chair fell over ends. "–_you have the book!_"

And with that she dropped the bottle in her hands, shattering it.

"Oh, _bother_!" she snapped.

**********Note: I got a late start today, so in turn you're getting a later update. Sorry about that, but in other news, My mouth is healing up wonderfully; the incision twinges, but not enough that I've wanted to take any of my pain medication for it. (which has my doctors wondering if there's not something wrong with my nerves, but if it's not hurting, I'm not complaining) **  



	10. Languor

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Languor**

Sophie did not try again that night; finding herself far too tired, frustrated -and oddly, almost, _afraid_, for a second attempt. She instead cleaned the shards of glass from her bedroom floor before tucking herself in so that she would awake in time to open the shop.

Howl hadn't sounded angry at all at her intrusion into whatever he'd been doing. Frankly, he sounded more awed and surprised that she had managed to intrude at all. But even with the knowledge that she had not contracted the great wizard's ire, -as it was indeed known throughout the valley folding that he ate the hearts of beautiful girls- Sophie still found herself uneasy with attempting the strange magic again.

She was too still stunned that it hadn't been some sort of prank and was indeed a magical book to wonder what he had meant about her having '_the_ book'.

And really, as she sat about her shop in languor the next day, unable to even focus on her reading with thoughts of the night before, she _should_ have been expecting what was to come to pass, and so her shocked exclamation before tumbling out of her seat was really a bit over the top.

"I should have figured that you where just a stones throw across the river for the image to be so clear." A voice called out from the doorway, the small bell that normally alerted her to the appearance of customers silent, as if he'd merely passed through the door rather than opening it. "Though, I must say you're quite a bit more beautiful than that I'd anticipated through the bottom of that bottle."

**********Note: Sorry I'd not the chance to update yesterday; I was resting and writing more. **  



	11. Imbue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Imbue **

"What?" She stuttered out, peaking up over the top of the counter as if it could protect her and glancing inconspicuously at the book she'd had open, wondering in gleeful panic if the water she'd spilt upon it in her flailing would stain the delicate pages, or if she could dry them out without much effort...

"You are indeed my lovely young peeping tom from last night, are you not? The one who imbued the... coke-bottle, -was it?- with magical properties to turn it into a scrying glass? Ah yes, by the flush on your cheeks, I am correct, my dear mouse!" He replied with a flourish, bowing slightly as she mumbled out her denial of being a 'peeping tom'. "No need to fear, my dear, I am merely an interested buyer in that so very interesting book you seemed to have stumbled upon."

Straitening primly so that she could run hands over her rumpled dress, nose in the air, Sophie snorted at him, and her own foolishness of hiding under the counter. "I'm afraid it's not going to be for sale; I don't sell magic objects here._ Propriety Books_ is an upstanding establishment."

Howl merely laughed, sending his glittering ear-rings swinging about. "Come now, It's not as if I'd walk the streets of Kingsbury yelling at the top of my lungs that I'd acquired it from your tiny little shop, tucked all the way out in Market Chipping."

This was the wrong things to say.

"I'm afraid we're closed sir,"she snapped, eyes narrowing though she was cowed by her own bravery in standing up to _the_ Wizard Howl. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave now."

"No matter, I'll just come back again tomorrow."

**********Note: So. much. yard-work. But It officially looks like people live here now, and not like some run-down junkyard. The neighborhood is very much noticing; I've had people come out and watch me cleaning the place up.**  



	12. Untoward

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Untoward**

"Wizard Howl, I am closing my shop for the night." Sophie told him, standing over the chair he had commandeered hours before with arms crossed and an impressive glower upon her face, obviously unpleasant over his appearance again in her shop the day after his first.

"Perfect," he replied jauntily, sending her a sly wink. "I was waiting for you to finally realize that I'm not to be going anywhere and invite me back for tea."

"The only place I'll be _inviting_ you," she ground out, heartily displeased at his untoward manner and lascivious looks. "Is out the front door to a _lovely_ little place called Newbury street. Where _I_ will be locking my door behind me and _you_ can find your way home."

His eyes seemed to dance at her tone, enjoying how she fought him so. "Find my way? But my dear little mouse, I know where your home is; would it not be easier for me just to accompany you?"

"You're not going _anywhere_ with me." she snapped; lifting one arm rather harshly to point toward the front door before barking at him as if he where an unruly puppy. "Go. Home."

Howl rose from his seat then, laughing brightly as if her dark mood and complete and utter denial of his charms was the highlight of his existence. "Alright alright, you fearsome thing. I'll be sure to come back in the morning though; I'd not want you to miss me too much."

**********Note: Okay. **Guys. Stop freaking out. I couldn't update because my charge cable for my laptop broke and I had to order a new one; all of my work is saved on this mashine so without it, you where screwed for a few days. I've not died, I've not suddenly abandoned anything. Chill.  



	13. Susurrus

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Susurrus **

The whole town was talking. Susurrus voices gossiped all around her and suspicious glances were thrown in her direction.

"Come now dearie," Mrs. Smith began. "Who exactly is this new caller of yours? Your mother has been dieing to know, and the Bakers saw him just this morning..."

Sophie began to drift as the older woman rattled off the latest Gossip on her 'mystery man'. It still astounded her that none of them realized they were gossiping about the Great and Terrible Wizard Howl. It wasn't as if he was actively keeping his identity a secret either, what with his constant flirting and magic tricks being tossed left and right with the aim of charming whatever girl happened to catch his eye at he moment.

"...He's quite convinced your new patron is a suitor come all the way from Kingsbury..."

Not that he didn't happen to be rather good at it; she knew most of it to merely be slight of hand, but occasionally, in the midst of a seemingly normal trick, she'd notice something off about a movement. Maybe the way the light glimmered off the exposed flesh of one of his hands when he arched it around and back to pull a card from the brim of a girls hat, and she knew there was a touch of real magic in the movements.

"...And oh what a sight that was! Mrs. Cesari was just at her wits end when that handsome stranger showed up with an armload of ladies following behind, all wanting some of those delightful cream-pies of hers!"

Snapping out of her trance, Sophie looked up at the woman owlishly. "What?"

**********Note: I think my cat, Calsifer, delights in freaking out at nothing, just to keep me on my toes and somewhat mildly maimed. Yesterday at bedtime it was my pillows, today it was his perch by the window. What's it going to be tomorrow I wonder in vague horror. **  



	14. Furtive

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Furtive**

Sophie was cautious, continually casting furtive glances toward her front door just to be sure that her new-found 'friend' hadn't returned.

Six days. It had been six days since she had found that gods-be-damned book and had given into the temptation of using it. And every day, at precisely noon, _The_ Wizard Howl would come sauntering into her bookshop, looking every bit as flippant and roguish as he had that first morning.

He never seemed to wear the same suit either; unlike Sophie who only claimed one good shop-dress to her name, Howl's closet seemed endless.

He'd appeared to her everyday, eyes shining with some sort of mischief, in suits of every color of the rainbow.

Today though, he seemed to have settled on Silver with little glittering jewels, as he was ever-so-maddeningly standing before her storefront, accosting the groups of girls that past and delighting in their demure reactions, watching until they where just far enough away that they dissolved into fits of scandalized giggles.

Finally having had enough of this display, Sophie stormed toward the front door, flicking it open harshly to face him. "The book is not for sale, get off my stoop and taking your flirting elsewhere."

He flashed her a look of faux-hurt. "You wound me, my lovely little mouse; you never respond to my attentions, so I'm testing to see if maybe I'd lost my charm. Though, from their reactions, I'd thinking not, and you are just giving me a most merry chase."

Sophie grit her teeth, eyes narrowing at him in a fit of emotion that was so odd for the seemingly mild-mannered girl, finding herself oddly provoked at his use of the_ one word_ she'd always used to describe her slow but satisfying life in Market Chipping. "I'm not _lovely_." she ground out before slamming the door in his face and flipping the sign hanging from it to 'closed'.

**********Note:So it seems life is trying to make it impossible for me to update anything, and I've not the foggiest as to why. Today, my internet has been waffling in and out, and so far, this is the first time I've been able to make a single website load, so I'm frantically posting this while it actually allows me too. **  



	15. Scintilla

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Scintilla**

Sophie wasn't sure why, but there was a scintilla of doubt in her mind, lingering at the edges of her consciousness, whispering to her that things weren't always what they seemed.

Howl was a charming sort, and so very dead set on getting that book from her, but even under all of his flirting and wheeling and general winning over of her town, Sophie noticed something was amiss.

'_It seems that letter was right after all._' Sophie admitted, rather unhappily, to herself as she slumped back into her armchair, giving up on trying to appear as if reading in favor of her thoughts of him.

He seemed as if almost... frantic. As if he wished for the book for a reason; and not just in line with the sorry excuse of 'it's merely a family heirloom that I wish to have back'.

He had some ulterior motive, she just knew it. Only she couldn't seem to figure out _what_.

The man was a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, and taped to a puzzle box from what she could gather, and he wasn't giving her anything to work with.

**********Note: So sorry I've not been posting as much lately. I've been working on some offline projects; namely my garden, the cat-tree I'm building, A hush-hush gift for my darling, and the steamer trunk I'm restoring.**  



	16. Tranquility

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Tranquility**

Normally, _Propriety Books _was the image of tranquility. A quiet, peaceful nook where there was always a new book to devour, and a comfortable chair awaiting you.

But ever since she'd accidentally attracted the attention of one pompous, persistent wizard, her home-away-from-home was anything _but_. He was this overly bright, flamboyant oddity in her _lovely_, and she wasn't exactly pleased with having garnered his attention.

Though, even when he _wasn't_ there Sophie found it very hard to remain relaxed. Something was _wrong_.

Ever since she'd accidentally seen him with the help of that less-than-helpful book that was still sitting on her writing desk, she'd been noticing that something was amiss.

It has started out innocently enough; she'd been slicing a peach and cut her own finger, not even seeing it was there too far up on the fruit. But then she began to notice that her peripheral vision was starting to blur slightly. More than it ever had before.

She chalked it up to stress, but it didn't let up. So she tried asking the book; and all it did was give her an introduction to lesson number two. It seemed that her new book was only sentient up to the point of the topic of it's prose.

So she entered the Book-shop that very next day with every intention of wringing the answers she sought from Howl himself. Dangerous wizard be damned.

**********Note:Yeah. Sorry. I've not been in the mood to deal with all this non-since lately, and given I've only got one reader, I'm not too worried about it. **  



	17. Elision

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Elision**

"Wizard Howl," she called out the moment she noticed him flit though her doorway.

"Yes, my lovely little mouse?" he asked brightly when he noticed there wasn't the usually hint of dark annoyance in her tone, bowing slightly to showcase that he was dressed slightly more casually today, in a billowing silk shirt that was dyed a deeper black than she'd ever seen outside of the members of the court that frequented the streets of Kingsbury when not in meetings with the king himself. "Have I finally worn you down enough that you would permit a conversation at me?"

"I need to ask you a question; will you answer me?" she asked, fingers woven tightly together.

He seemed to realize that she was indeed being serious and approached slowly. "What seems to be the matter?" he asked, though his tone was full of dread, as if he had some sort of inkling of what she was to say next.

"Ever since the... incident." she told him delicately. "I've been noticing something slightly amiss; I-"

He cut her off then, his normally exuberant voice quiet. "You've been noticing something wrong with your eyes." he finished for her, and she snapped up from there she was leaning over the counter to look at him more fully.

"How do you know that?" she questioned, panic making her tone shrill. "Howl, how do you _know_ that? What's going on?"

"I'm so sorry; I didn't know that the curse could travel. I knew it was tied to the book, but I would have informed you the moment I met you had I known you were in any sort of danger." He told her, rubbing his face and looking so much more tired than she had ever seen him before.

Sophie wasn't sure how to react; she was most likely in shock, which helped her to be relatively calm about it all, given the circumstances at any rate, though she didn't miss his elision. "Explain."

Howl sighed, offering a smile that seemed more self-deprecating than anything else. "It has a hold on me too, you see, my darling little mouse -who's name she persists in detaining from my ears-. I am actually _quite_ blind;" he jauntily informed her, much to her shock. "It is merely my magic that allows me to perceive objects; without it I would be quite without any sort of vision, though color is still lost to me."

**********Note: So, my message yesterday was written in annoyance, and I'd never actually just stop updating something I've chapters already written for. I'm up to about 40 in my reserves for this, so where as I'm not currently working on it, there will be updates for everyone for a while.**  



	18. Desultory

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Desultory**

Sophie had collapsed into her chair behind the counter, fingers lightly pressing against the soft skin beneath her eyes. She tried calling up some sort of anger, some sort of _something_, but it came out weak and desultory. As if she'd temporarily lost the ability to feel those emotions at all. "Oh. _Oh_. Is that why you're always dressed in such bright colors?"

"It's been many years since I've perceived any sort of color at all, really. I remember them, distantly, but I've no concept of them. Magic can only do so much; It's because of _magic_ that I can even see the shame of your face_ at all._ I don't know the color of your eyes; only how they flame." he admitted softly. "But if I have the book, I might could undo the curse." he told her earnestly, leaning forward to brush a stray strand of hair that had escaped her braid behind her ear. "Your eyes could be saved, you know. There's no hope for my vision, not after so many years, but I could help you; if... you would let me."

Sophie pulled back, eying him critically. "If your eyes can't be saved, why did you want it so bad?"

He sighed. "To right a wrong."

"What?"

His smile was sardonic. "I did the same thing as you, my darling little mouse. Only I held my fathers monocle rather than a coke-bottle. But then, the wizard I ended up spying upon was a paranoid fellow, and flung a curse at me soon as looking at me for daring to 'spy' on his secret projects; no matter that I was but a boy. It bounced off the book I'm afraid, and went a bit wonky somewhere. I'm quite sure it was aimed to kill me. So really, this whole mess is my fault, and I really must do something about it."

Sophie paused at that, cocking her head to the side to stare at him intensely. "My name is Sophie Hatter." she finally said.

"Howl Jenkins." he told her with a flourish, before pausing. "Or Pendragon. I've a couple of them, really, but I'm always, merely, Howl."

**********Note: Sorry about the delay in posting -there has been quite a bit going on in my offline world that took attending to. **  



	19. Evocative

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Evocative**

Sophie was above sensible above all, and she knew not to trust the charming man any further than she could throw him, which was, admittedly, not far enough.

And she knew her decision was rash, -the information not even having had enough time to calcify in her head as actual fact- but Sophie couldn't halt the next words as they bubbled up from somewhere she wasn't quite sure of. "I'm coming with you." she informed him quite soundly, ignoring the arching of his brow. "You seem to be the type that is quite a bit of show; all pompous and poising, if not cowardly when it comes to actual danger. I couldn't trust you not to really just run off and be done with it."

He actually looked mildly hurt at that assessment, but dropped the act at her unamused snort, though there was a lingering touch in the corner of his eyes.

"Come now, my darling Sophie." he leaned forward then, his words evocative. "You've already befallen a terrible curse, why risk any other such danger? It will not be easy, the road that I am going."

"Oh _my_," she replied, feeling a bit of her old spark coming back to her as she leaned forward to match his posture. "It sounds _positively__ dreadful_."

Howl nodded mournfully. "Really quite awful; nothing like your _lovely_ little town on the edge of the valley folding. There will be all sorts of magics and adventure. Kings and witches and mucked up tales. Ghastly business; no place for a darling little shop-keeper such at yourself."

Her eyes narrowed at his use of _that_ word again, and a smile began to curl. Sophie couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so alive as when she saw the dawning enter his eyes before she'd even spoke.

"Perfect." she informed him, hands coming down on the counter with a since of finality before she passed under the folding counter so that she could walk past him, flipping the sign on the door to 'closed'. "Come along then so I can pack my things. I'd not leave a perfectly helpless man such as yourself to try and fix this _awful_ mess all alone; you might end up stuck in a tree or something, you silly wizard."

**********Note: For _Lyrainthedark_, for listening to me grossly sob about all these feelings I have for Korean horror movies. **  



	20. Dalliance

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Dalliance**

Her wizard had no idea how to react to that, as the one time he tried to open his mouth to dissuade her otherwise, her eyes had narrowed to slits; just daring him to challenge her.

And so he accepted it. "If that is indeed what you wish, I can't stop you. But are you quite sure this is what you want to do?" he asked softly as he followed her out the backdoor of the store proper, and through the small courtyard that led to her quaint little house. "This shall not an easy journey to undertake. And my castle is messy."

Sophie pretended to give that matter her utmost consideration as she led him though her house. "I'd expect nothing less; wizards are known to be of the messy sort. Not to mention that yours is of course a _moving_ castle; I'd be more concerned if things weren't constantly being scattered about." she replied solemnly.

"You're being awfully sensible about all this, you know." her flamboyant wizard point out as he took possession of her bed, sitting down on the edge to watch her as she flitted about.

"Even I had a dalliance with the idea of _more_ once upon a time, Wizard Howl. So why not; it's not as if I'll have much to loose should we fail."

"If I may ask," Howl poised delicately. "Why is it, my lovely little shop-keeper, that you never _did_ go out and seek your fortune? You are a sight to behold and don't look a penny over eighteen; you could do well in the world, what with that glimmer of magic you've got there in your fingertips; you took to enchantments rather well from what I saw."

"I thought you where trying to convince me to stay." she pointed out.

"Indulge me."

Sophie hatter gave a slight shrug at that. "I'm the eldest of three." she told him simply. "And as such, mine is always an ill-fate. I was content here though. It's quaint. And quiet. And _lovely_."

He gave her such a curious look then that she'd no idea what sort of thoughts where swimming in his head. "_I see._"

**********Note: Evening everyone. You get an update on account of the fact that I am indeed still awake -though, not for much longer. We are slowly but steadily getting closer to my personal favorite part, so at least for that I am happy.**  



	21. Erstwhile

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Erstwhile**

Sophie paused before her writing desk, fingers hovering over the cover of _The Quite Ordinary and Utterly Unremarkable Guide to Charming Glass_, before taking a deep, steeling breath and snapping it up into her hands, spinning about with it to present to her companion.

Howl paused as if startled, gazing at the book. "Is that what I think it is?"

"The one and only bane of my existence." she acknowledged, and his own fingertips hovered centimeters from it's pages, almost as if he, too, were frightened of what touching it meant.

It only just occurred to her then that the book clutched in her hands must have almost seemed like a nightmarish memory to the man; an erstwhile possession that haunted dreams and tainted memories of what it what it was like to once actually see the world around him.

And with that realization, she pulled it back to her chest. "I'll hold onto it for now if you don't mind; I just wanted to show you that I indeed still had it."

His smile was grateful. "Yes, of course. Thank you."

**********Note:Yawn. So. Updates for you all. Enjoy a feast of verbiage and late-night writing.**  



	22. Cacophony

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Cacophony**

As she slowly began to pack her things; throwing her most valuable possessions into her thread-bare duffel, Sophie Hatter's thoughts began to warp into this tangled, lyrical monstrosity that wound it's way in great spiraling circles so tightly woven together, -rehashing those few little words- "_You've been noticing something wrong with your eyes... I didn't know that the curse could travel... I'm so sorry... It has a hold one me too..._ " that they boiled down into a cacophony of memories and sights and feelings that were all at once overwhelming and wondrously calming in their intensity.

Sophie Hatter, eldest of three and the quite _lovely_ little shopkeeper for _Propriety Books_, with her lovely life, and her lovely home and her contentedness with everything so very ordinary... was not ordinary anymore.

Sophie Hatter had a heartless wizard sitting on her dreary bedspread while she packed her worldly possessions because they where to go off on an adventure to save her vision before a horrible curse ripped it away from her.

And Sophie Hatter, wasn't at all afraid.

**********Note:Hey everyone! I'm SO SO SO sorry I've not been updating as regularly as you are used to. Really I am. I've been out every single weekend from Friday to Sunday night working at a Renaissance festival, (though this weekend, I'll be going to visit the AMAZING _Cadeyrn Lux_for four days) and the rest of the time I'm babysitting my niece and getting ready for my impending move (I know, I know; I move every 6 months) to Denver to live with the equally as amazing and glorious _Miss Selah_. **  



	23. Librocubicularist

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******L********ibrocubicularist**

"Why do you have all of these book beside your bed? Do you not tire of them after a while?" Her new-found companion asked, snooping about the piles of literature stacked around the sides of her bed.

"I'm a librocubicularist." she answered simply, if not mildly distracted in her task of deciding what was worthy of going with her on her quest.

He was silent for a long, drawn out moment. "A... what?"

"Someone who reads in bed."

He apparently had no response for that, as he continued to nose about her possessions, before finally, Howl sighed as he turned his face up to watch her, looking to where she was standing, and for a brief moment, she resented the fact that even blind, he could still 'see' her. "There is something you wish to ask pf me."

She didn't bother to deny it."How can your magic let you 'see' when the curse took your eyes away?"

"A demon leeches off my life force." he answered, just as simply as she had before. "He is a constant drain on my energy in return for these eyes, and so really, I'm actually quite lazy when I'm not attempting to charm _lovely_ little book-keepers."

"I am not _lovely_."

**********Note: So I just watched 'Oblivion'; the new Tom Cruise movie. I didn't have high hopes for it going in, but I swear this movie just broke my feels. I can't. I just can't. I have lost all ability to CAN. So I'm attempting to get one of my girls in to write with me while I'm having all these emotions.**  



	24. Cynical

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Cynical**

Maybe it was cynical of her not to trust the wizard. He had, after all, tracked her down and tried to reclaim the book, even going as far as to tell her of what was actually happening. Of the curse and his childhood folly. But everyone knew tales of the Wizard Howl.

Everyone. And so it was no secret that he was a dangerous fellow; a handsome blue-eyed devil with a charming tongue and a dashing, rakish tilt to his smile that spoke volumes in testimony to the fact he ate the hearts of young girls and held such magics you couldn't begin to comprehend.

But behind all of it, the thing she distrusted the most, was his eyes. So very unseeing -as blind now as she one day soon would be, but so guarded. And so calculating, as if he trusted no one, and every flirtatious word was weighed and measured before his lips ever uttered them.

Sophie considered this as she gazed upon the small music box given to her by Fanny one year; with it's intricately carved dancers who spun in time with the tinkling little song. "This music box was a gift from my stepmother when I was but a little girl; I'd wished for it the moment I'd laid eyes on it. This might very well be the last time I see it." She turned to him slightly. "I would like very much to try and change my fate, if I could."

**********Note: Hey guys! Sorry for the couple of day's lull in updates. I'M ON VACATION! I'm currently sitting at my old high-school best friend/ fellow fan-fiction author, _Cadeyrn Lux_'s, kitchen table updating this before we really get into writing together tonight.**  



	25. Unravel

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Unravel**

"If you chose to accompany me, you'll have to carry your own weight, Ms. Hatter." Howl finally told her, standing up and walking forward so that they were nose to nose. "I've been known to take in strays, but they do for themselves."

Sophie nodded, the action slightly jerky as she took up her duffel bag and shrugged it high onto her shoulder. It wasn't as if she expected much more than that, what with the fact she'd actually invited herself along and into his house.

"I have to do this, you know. I have something at stake here."

"I know." He told her softly, smiling slightly. "But are you sure that _you_ know it?"

"What?" she asked, eying him curiously. He was unraveling all those jumbled thoughts in her head without effort, as if he could cut right into the heart of her and see exactly what was rattling around in her ribs.

"You see this," he gestured to his sightless eyes. "You understand what is happening on some level; you're noticing the deterioration of your vision. But do you really know what you're getting into?"

"No." she told him simply. "I don't. I've always just been _lovely_. Quaint and quiet and complacent. But now I've not a choice. Now I must get up and do something if I wish to keep what is mine."

Howl looked pleased with her answer, though the glimmer in the corner of his eyes spoke of something else. Something almost fearful.

"You can't scare me away, Wizard Howl. You inadvertently got me into this mess, and so you're going to help me get out of it!"

"Of course." he replied softly, brushing that unruly strand of hair from her face. "A gentleman would do no less."

**********Note: So I'm totally sitting in starbucks in a really expensive dress reblogging shit on tumblr with _Cadeyrn Lux_. This is currently a thing. **  



	26. Becoming

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Becoming**

When the pair finally set out upon the road toward the castle that was lazily swaying through the moors, fading in and out of sight on the horizon, darkness had already taken over the streets of Market Chipping; the sun not but a line of fading red-gold in the distance.

"You know, Sophie hatter, you'd be quite a becoming sight if you'd relax a bit; let your hair out of that prudish braid."

"You least of all are going to talk to me about what looks fashionable, and what looks garish." the brunette woman replied flatly, not even bothering to look at the man by her side as they trekked.

"Oh come now, it's merely a suggestion." he tisked, letting a slight smile curl as he finally coaxed her into a conversation that wasn't about their current situation.

"Coming from the man who can't tell the color of his suit from one day to the next."

Howl dramatically raised a hand to press to his heart, the action making the trailing lace of his shirt-cuffs sway about though he was smiling in apparent amusement. "You wound me."

**********Note: So as the last 3 chapters I've posted haven't gotten a single review, I'm not exactly worried about updating this all that often. **  



	27. Lissome

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Lissome**

Sophie watched their shadows as they passed between buildings and alleyways; looking akin to lissome spectors that prowled the darkness; appearing so much more grotesque and yet graceful in equal turn than the forms they mirrored.

"No one has looked at us at all." She observed as they passed an elderly shopkeeper she knew from her childhood. For some reason, she couldn't bring her voice above that of a whisper; anything more seemed as if so jarring and... wrong in the twilight. "I know it's dark; but I know some of these people. Why can't they see us?"

"Magic." the wizard at her side informed her quietly. "I'm spiriting you off, you know. You're the Great Wizard Howl's latest victim, and all sorts of fantastical rumors will come about from it."

Sophie spun to look at him, a shocked gasp fighting it's way from her throat. "But why?" she cried.

"Because it is easier than should you leave with me in full view of them all. What would you tell them, little mouse? That you are cursed and must accompany me to break you from it before it robs your sight?"

She hesitated.

"You can always return once we are successful; tell them anything you wish. That you remember nothing of your time in my company. I could even make it really so if you wished."

Sophie was quiet after that, contemplating.

**********Note: So for those who have been messaging me about it, yes. This is a huge divergence from canon. Frankly, that is the only way I see to tell a story with these characters; as their own story was told so fully and wrapped up so cleanly that there is nothing for me to do but retell it, or give them something new, wrapped in something old. **  



	28. Serendipity

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Serendipity**

"We've all seen your castle on the horizon." Sophie began, finally attempting to spark a conversation with the man at her side as they slowly walked further and further into the darkness of the valley folding, toward the wastes; the lights of the town and the sense of safety they seemed to hold fading behind them. "Why do you sit up there above us all? You've not strayed far from the edges of the horizon that borders Market Chipping in months. "

The wizard at her side offered not but a shrug in reply as he flicked a strand of gold-blonde hair over his shoulder.

"You can't tell me you don't have a reason for sitting up there and terrorizing us all."

The wizard arched a brow in reply. "And the rumors of my terrorizing towns people and 'eating the hearts of pretty young girls' are all greatly exaggerated, I assure you. I allow the rumors because they assure me privacy, but they are indeed untrue."

Sophie merely snorted in disbelief and Howl shot her a look that made both her brows rise into her hairline. "What?"

"My _darling_ mouse, do you think it is merely serendipity that we are walking down this road tonight?" he asked pointedly, and Sophie looked at him in confusion, making as if to answer before he barreled on in spite of the action.

"Because if I was in the business of consuming hearts, do you really think you'd be here now? I'd have devoured you the moment I laid eyes on you."

**********Note: Alright, there might not be an update tomorrow, which has nothing to do with you guys or the story itself -you're all awesome and I love you. I just have my last surgery at 10am, and so am not going to be very fully functioning for a bit. **  



	29. Zenith

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Zenith**

The moon had reached it's zenith in the night sky before the pair had even arrived to the castle that was lazily moving about the moors; the troublesome tome held tightly in brunette's protective embrace, even though she had almost been fearful of picking the thing up as they made to depart her cute little home in Market Chipping. She had to though; the look in her companions eyes when he'd gazed at The Guide had almost been enough to break her heart.

And as they approached through the hazy darkness, Sophie looked up in awe of the darkly sinister, and woefully tall creation looking to be built out of old pots and other assorted scraps.

"How on earth does this thing even stay in one piece? Is it even stable?" She asked, eyes focusing on the almost bird-like legs and the bloated 'face' of the castle that had seemingly spotted the pair and was making toward them at a jaunty pace; turrets swaying and smoke pouring out into the sky to block out the moon. "Is it your magic that makes it move?"

"No." he answered, a bit of laughter creeping into his tone. "No, that would be Calcifer."

She turned to him curiously then, shouldering her duffel higher on one night-chilled shoulder to ward off the goose-flesh that was covering her arms. "Calcifer?"

"A friend." he offered in explanation as the over-sized monstrosity stepped over them before coming to a great shuttering stop that had Sophie terrified that one of those towers was to come lobbing off to hit them. "Come then, my brave little mouse. You didn't come this far just to stand outside and gape all night."

**********Note: I am currently in excruciating pain, given my final surgery did not go quickly, nor did it go easily. The last few times when they had to cut in and dig out the teeth, it lasted about 15 minutes, tops. This time I was in the chair more than an hour as they fought to get it out, and like the last time, for some reason I wasn't responding to the anesthesia, and so could _feel_ what was happening. Sleeping is hard; eating almost impossible. I'm a big ball of disgruntlement right now.**  



	30. Sonorous

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Sonorous**

Sophie stood before the comely wooden door, staring at it as the castle itself swayed back and forth in the moonlight, the giant monstrosity creating a sonorous racket above them in apparent welcome.

Howl stood to her back, watching her as she decided on the course of action she would take, allowing her that moment of decision before moving to spur her down her chosen path.

He hadn't the opportunity, however, as the moment he opened his mouth, the front door flung open and the dark silhouette of a gangly, teenage boy stood before them.

"Howl!" the figure snapped, sounding by all rights rather put out. "Where have you _been_? I can take missives for you but it's not as if I can answer the-" the boy paused then, almost as if shocked to notice the young woman on their stoop. "Who's this?"

"A witch of great and terrible power." Howl supplied from over her shoulder, and she turned slightly to scowl at him.

"The Witch of the Waste?" the boy asked in breathy awe.

"My name," the brunette began tightly, "Is Sophie, and I'm _not_ a witch. I'm just under a..." her voice trailed off then as her lips worked though she could not force the words out of them.

'_I am under a curse! A curse! A curse! A curse!_' She mentally crowed, her frustration growing more evident with each passing moment.

Howl leaned down to whisper in her ear then as his hand took up residence on the small of her back to usher her forward. "The first rule of curses is that you cannot speak of them to anyone who does not already know."

**********Note: I got a hold of my dentist today. He told me he wasn't at all surprised I was in excruciating pain still; there was extensive trauma in trying to remove this tooth. Which, _obviously_; they had to break out the drill at one point because this tooth was so tight against the bottom of another that they where locked together. Pretty much he just told me there's nothing to be done for it besides ride it out, and up my dosage of Vicodin. This is going to be a hell of a week.**  



	31. Incorporeal

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Incorporeal**

The boy leaned forward then, allowing his face to come into view; and he was not so imposing after all. With a boyish tilt to his lips and his hair looking to be shaggier than what was normally acceptable, almost as if he'd been too focused on something else to notice the passage of time.

"My name is Michael, ma'am, and I'm Howl's apprentice. It's a pleasure to meet you." A warm, inviting smile curled up his lips, and a hand came forward to beckon her inside.

And Sophie allowed herself to smile in turn, her ire softening as she allowed the two to tow her inside and shut the door behind them.

But when she moved to look about the space, -taking in the mess that cluttered all but a thin pathway though the room itself- she couldn't stop the squeak that forced it's way from her lips when her eyes settled on the fireplace and the incorporeal figure residing in it, chewing on a piece of wood.

"Your fire is alive!" She sputtered. "It's... It's not bloodthirsty is it?"

It turned it's 'face' to her then, though it seemed more as if the creature conjured one from the colors of the flames it was made of. "Who let a witch in here?" it asked, it's voice hissing and spitting with the crackling of wood.

"She's a friend of Howls!" Michael supplied gaily, ushering her toward the chair before the hearth and taking her bag from her as he coaxed her into sitting. "You're the woman he's been off visiting aren't you?"

Sophie just blinked up at the boy owlishly.

"Sometimes Howl goes off for days at a time, and it's almost always because of a woman."

"Oh. Oh. I have something he wants; a particular book. He needs it to help me with something, so I'm to be staying with you for a bit." she replied hesitantly, choosing her words very deliberately.

Howl was leaning over her shoulder then, startling her as he reached past her to throw another log on the fire. "Calcifer, I require you to heat the water for my bath. Michael, go to bed and leave Ms. Hatter some time to get acquainted with the house."

**********Note: 72 hours after surgery and I still can barely open my mouth to even speak, and the pain can still be overwhelming at times. There is no way I'm going to be able to follow through on my weekend plans, which kills me, as this is the last possible weekend for me to go. But I just can't. The dentist prescribed me some medication for it, but even with it; I'm only sleeping in 2 hour intervals and I can't really even eat. **  



	32. Insouciance

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Insouciance**

It was so strange, her world was all at once this sudden, sharp burst of overwhelming movement and noise, but as quickly as it had come -the flow of action had ebbed; leaving her to sit quietly in the strange place and wonder how very different her life had become in the slow blinking of an eye.

Not but a week ago, she had been enjoying her perfectly _lovely_ existence in Market Chipping. Spending her days tending to customers and consuming literature at a startling pace. But then she has stumbled upon that gods-be-damned parcel, and its insouciant note.

She should have listened to it; the writer of such a missive obviously knew exactly what was to happen should she touch it, and had valiantly attempted to spare her such a fate.

But she'd been overcome with the urge to rebel against her constant complacency. And in doing so, had doomed herself.

She was pulled out of her winding thoughts though when the crackling voice of the fire reached her ears once more.

"That's quite the curse you've got there, lady. I don't envy you; you're going to have a hell of a time getting rid of that one."

"You can talk about it?" she asked, eyed snapping up to view the half-humanoid face in the flames. "What are you?"

"I am an extremely powerful Fire Demon named Calcifer." the fire replied, and the sound of popping wood was to be heard. "And of course I can talk about it; Howl is under the same curse after all, and I _am_ his eyes."

**********Note: Mmmm. I am so very, very tired and it's so very, very hard to sleep. But I make fabulous soy based, gluten&lactose-free protein pancakes. **  



	33. Talisman

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Talisman**

Sophie wasn't sure what to make of that statement, pulling her braid forward and her fiddling with it's end as if some sort of talisman to ward off the curse. "How bad is it, really?"

"In what aspect are you referring?" Calcifer asked, one firey brow arched as he parried with a question in answer. "How strong is the curse? How hard is it to learn to 'see' without eyes? How long until it takes effect?"

She cringed slightly, fingers tightening on her hair. "All of the above?" came her meek reply.

"I wouldn't know." the fire demon replied after a long moment. "Howl caught me many years after the curse had finally taken his vision. You should ask _him_ that; I'm merely the magic that moves the castle and allows him to view the world."

She was quiet for a time, pulling her legs up so that she could wrap her arms around her knees and rest her chin on them. "What... That is, what does the world look like through your eyes? How does Howl see me?"

The fire laughed, and it was the hissing, crackling noise of popping sap in burning wood. "You are a specter, Sophie Hatter; flaming at your edges and glowing with magic that pours from your fingertips. You are not a color, there _are_ no colors for us; the world is in shades of ghostly gray and white, but you, _you_ are a stunning creature with eyes that burn to look into them; as bright as my hottest embers. You _burn_ from the inside out."

**********Note: I apologize for not getting a chapter posted yesterday; I had to be taken to the ER so I wasn't in any fit shape to be doing anything beyond sleeping once I was discharged. Now if you all would excuse me: I just awoke from a 12 hour nap, and feel as if I need another one.**  



	34. Plethora

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Plethora **

That answer raised a plethora of new questions that burned on her tongue, daring to be asked, but she found she had not the words.

Instead she stared in awe at the flaming figure before her, watching the familiar shapes that danced though him, allowing them to lull her into a languid state of peacefulness while she considered her situation.

"I wouldn't worry too much, little burning one." The fire demon told her, his voice barely above that of the crackling of the logs but fracturing the quiet all the same. "You'll do alright, regardless of what happens."

"Little burning one?" she asked, turning to the fire with an odd expression.

"It fits." Calcifer told her, giving a good attempt at shrugging though he had no shoulders. "I told you; your eyes burn so brightly they hurt to look at them."

"It must be the curse." Sophie replied in turn.

"No. No, it's just you. Curses are like a penumbra that follow you, mirroring your own shadow. The fire is just you." he allowed the conversation to lull then for a few moments that felt almost an hour long before speaking to her again, this time with a teasing lit to his tones. "Besides, if you fail, I could always give you eyes like Howl; it's not so bad."

Sophie allowed a slight smirk to curl up her lips at that. "I appreciate the offer, but everyone knows that a demon's bargain comes at a price. You'd want something in return."

"Just your eyes;" he whispered, trying to seduce her with his offer. "You wouldn't need them anymore. You could show the world just how beautiful your burn is if you let me take them away."

"I'll pass; I'm afraid mortal's don't find flaming eye-sockets as attractive as a Fire Demon would."

**********Note: so yeah. here you go. update or whatever.**  



	35. Delimit

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Delimit **

Sophie stood then, making to look around Howl's castle as she had been unable to before.

And the first thing that had become so bluntly obvious was that it was far from the opulent and sumptuous image that floated along in Market Chipping's gossip.

Why, it appeared to be more of a dump than a castle and hardly looked as big as the imposing image of it traversing the moors had led one to believe.

It was then that her gaze settled on a small mattress tucked mostly under the stairwell, a curtain marking the delimit of the space from the rest of the room.

"I'm assuming that's my bed then?"

"If you want it." the fire crackled in response, a single spindly arm of flame coming down to grab another sliver of wood to 'chew' on. "It doesn't belong to anyone so it's not as if there's to be heavy competition over the real estate."

Sophie sighed at that, lifting her discarded bag before moving toward it. "Well, it's not an awful start to my first adventure. I might as well make the best of it."

**********Note: short chapter, sorry, the next is longer.**  



	36. Vestigial

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Vestigial**

Sophie sat herself upon the dusty mattress, bouncing slightly to test the unused springs before casting her duffel to the side so that she could pull a discarded blanket through one of the rungs on the staircase where it was seated beside a mug full of pens, a skull, and a slightly worn out boot; valiantly trying not to knock over the items but ending up doing so anyway, though finding herself uncaring at the clatter they caused when they rolled about.

She wrapped the thread-bare fabric around her shoulders with a sigh of pleasure; finding it to be temptingly soft and worn from use rather than age; something that was obviously well loved and belonging to one of the males in residence.

Someone would come looking for it at some point or another, and she could always have them lead her to wherever their surplus of bedding was at that point. Until then she was going to enjoy the feeling of comfort it gave her, and the unusual strength to bate away at the vestigial flicker of dismay that tried to consume her thoughts.

**********Note: Sorry for my absence; I've been consumed with offline stress; I'm moving on the 26th, but I still have to finish this online class, take my tests, finish restoring the furniture I'm taking with me so I can USE it, get the new truck in my name, figure out how much of my shit I can load into it and how much it would cost to get a small trailer for the rest. That and dealing with my family member in extremely close quarters and generally making it hard for me to focus on anything.**  



	37. Sensual

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Sensual**

The warm feeling of the fire radiating by her toes was almost sensual to the tired young woman. As if trying to seduce her into letting go of her consciousness and sleep.

It was a tantalizing idea, as Sophie was _so_ _very_ tired, but she forced herself back onto her feet and into motion. She still had questions to ask, and the fire couldn't answer them for her.

Sophie was nothing if not stubborn, and so forced one foot in-front of the other as she made her way to the stairs, eyes lagging in their reopening with every blink.

She did not stop though; no, instead she forced herself up the stairs and down the dark hallway, following the heady smell of cologne and freshly washed male, first to the bathroom and from there to the room she figured belonged to Howl, rapping sharply on the door.

And when he opened it for her, he looked more than a little surprised at her appearance there; eyes looking her up and down before opening the door further so she could pass beneath his arm and into the dimly lit, cluttered space.

"What can I do for you, my darling little mouse? You look as if close to falling over." he asked, leading her over to the bed so that she might sit.

"I wanted to ask you some thing." she replied, folding her hands primly in her lap.

"Of course, of course." he murmured, though he sounded as if he'd not heard her at all. "And I'm sure this conversation should be long and tiring, so how about we get you comfortable, hm? Come now," he told her, helping her to lay back against his pillows. "That's better, yes?"

Sophie covered her mouth as a loud yawn escaped her lips. "Mhmm. Now about that question..."

"Of course, anything you'd like to ask." he whispered in return, pulling the quilt from beneath her legs so he could throw it over her. "But first lets get you settled."

She didn't get a chance to try and ask him again; as she was asleep in the next moment.

**********Note: My cat looks naked without his Harness on. I just thought you should all know this. **  



	38. Surreptitious

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Surreptitious**

Sophie awoke feeling rather disoriented; opening her eyes in confusion as she tried to place where she was. It was not as if she didn't remember the events of the day before; that was all rather vivid in her mind, but it took her a long moment to place _where_ she was. The cluttered, colorful room around her and the opulent bed in which she was lounging having no real place in her memory.

She remembered the enlightening conversation with Howl, the trek to his castle, the conversation with the fire. But what had happened after that?

Curiosity. Curiosity and the overwhelming urge to close her eyes and sleep, but the stubborn _need_ for answers.

Climbing the stairs, finding Howl's door, the look in his bright blue eyes when he saw her standing there...

This was Howls room. The surreptitious fellow had taken one look at her and made to lure her into his bed... and she'd climbed in without fuss and fallen right off to sleep, cuddled up to his pillow and curled beneath his blankets.

She wasn't sure whither to be amused or aghast at her own audacity and his, in turn.

But either way as she quickly divested herself of his bedding so she could climb to her feet, Sophie Hatter was going to pretend the breach of proper etiquette was never to be mentioned or acknowledged again.

**********Note:** Hey guys, Sorry about the delay. FFn was freaking out yesterday and for the life of me, I couldn't get my account page to load. It kept giving me timing out errors. -_-   



	39. Halcyon

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Halcyon**

Sophie found herself trailing down the stairs slowly, almost unsure as to if she wanted to face Howl and the telling smirk she knew he'd be wearing at the sight of her. In all actuality, she _knew_ she didn't want to; the idea that he'd had to put her to bed because she was too stubborn to go on to sleep and leave her questions for another morning was appalling.

Thankfully though, _that_ encounter was to be put off until later as the only people waiting at the bottom of the stairs were the sentient fire and Howl's gangly young apprentice who was rushing this way and that in his search for... something.

She paused then, watching him from the top of the stairs as he moved about the space, blissfully halcyon and utterly ignorant to just what was going on behind the scenes of the magic he was so excited about learning.

"Calcifer do you know what Howl did with the skull I was enchanting?" Michael asked, voice muffled as he crawled under the heavy wooden table to search there.

"You mean the one you were trying to convince to fly around and sing?" a gravelly voice from the fireplace asked, sounding infinitely bored.

"Of course that one; I ended up making the other explode."

"It's over here." Sophie called to him from her place on the stairs, finally moving down them to lift the skull from where it had rolled behind the banister when she'd knocked it loose from it's cluttered position on the stairs the night before.

Michael emerged from between a mess of things, looking up at her with a infectiously bright smile. "Ms. Hatter! Good morning! I'd wondered where you'd gone; I'd gotten up the morning and your bed was empty, and Howl, being his usual distracted self, didn't even hear me asking about you."

Sophie had the good grace to blush.

**********Note:** Here you go guys, a chapter! I'll try to write some more for this story and No Mi tonight once I've finished with my Online Course, I've just been consumed with it, and working on my pet project OS for this past week, so my fanfiction ended up a bit on the back-burner.   



	40. Coquetry

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Coquetry**

Calcifer didn't seem to think much of her disappearance the night before, at least not enough to actually comment on it given the pair shared the same eyes; so he probably knew exactly where she was the entire time.

It was a scandalizing thought; having slept in a mans bed. Even without him in it, Sophie disliked the thought immensely. This was really only the first day of her adventure, and she was already breaking the rules that had been set by her formerly quaint and quiet existence in Market Chipping.

"Are you hungry, Ms. Hatter?" Michael asked, looking over at her with eager eyes from where he was arranging the skull on his makeshift work-bench.

"Sophie, please. And a bit, yes; I've not eaten at all since before Howl and I set out from the shop to get here." she replied.

The gangly boy was moving around the space again, this time for the ingredients to make breakfast with, and chatting amiably with her as he gathered what he needed.

"So you're from Market Chipping, right? I'd been wondering why we kept circling this section of the wastes; must have been because of you."

"Because of me?" Sophie asked, moving to her duffel so she could remove her comb and set her appearance to rights. She was by no means a vain creature, but she did prefer to have her hair properly brushed and braided.

"Of course, Howl's a coquetry sort, so it makes since that he'd stick close to whomever he's after. Though I'm surprised, if you don't mind my saying; he doesn't normally focus on one girl long enough for her to visit."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, Michael. I'm here because I've a... problem," she told him delicately. "That only Howl can help me with. The sort of problem that doesn't permit me to speak of it."

Dawning lit up in the boy's eyes then, and he almost dropped the loaf of bread he'd pulled out. "You're under a curse."

**********Note:** Afternoon everyone! here's your daily update: enjoy.   



	41. Etymology

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Etymology**

Sophie nodded morosely in reply to the boys query, allowing him to come forward and inspect her as if she were come sort of prized colt on display.

Michael was instantly interested -and concerned. "What kind of curse is it? Do you know what it's doing to you?" and at her inability to answer, he backpedaled, explaining. "Howl's been having me study the etymology of curses; naturally, he's better at it, but I'm curious as to if we can get around it's specifications."

The fire roared into existence then, turning from an ember into the figure she remembered from the night before. "Feed her first, Michael, and be careful; curses are nasty business. Her's especially."

The teenagers eyes lit up then as he turned to the fireplace, handing her a crust of bread and a wedge of cheese. "You know about her curse? Can _you_ talk about?"

The Fire Spirit made a noise of denial as it watched Sophie quietly munch on her breakfast. "Afraid you're out of luck there kid; only people who know the details of the curse can talk about it."

"But if you have to already know, how do you learn in the first place?" he asked, frustrated.

"You forget I'm a Demon; I know all sorts of things." Calcifer replied before addressing her. "You might not be able to talk, but you can _point_."

So she did, looking toward the apprentice wizard expectantly and tapping the skin just below her eye.

"Your... eyes?" he ventured, and spurred on by her nod of affirmation. "Are you going blind?"

"You're getting to be quite the nosy one." Came the voice of Howl from the doorway. "Leave her be; I'm taking care of her."

**********Note:** I hope you all are having a marvelous day.   



	42. Ephemeral

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

**Ephemeral**

Her game of charades with the gangly teen had been ephemeral, but pleasant, even with Howl's interruption, and she fought to keep the blush down in the face of seeing him again after her atrocious behavior.

"Come with me, Sophie; we've much to do today." Howl said over his shoulder as he practically ran up the stairs, leaving her to chase after him at the unexpected announcement.

Catching the wizard wasn't hard, but keeping up with his long-legged stride in the narrow hallways of his castle was; and with each door they entered, they seemed to come upon another. Another door, another hallway, until finally, they came upon a library.

When he swung the door open, Sophie couldn't contain her delight. It was as if _Propriety Books_ had breed with the King's own personal collection and was set before her for her perusal.

Everything was placed about haphazardly; with stacks of books beside shelves that overflowed onto the many desks that where scattered about; covered in broken quills and stained parchment that smelled very pungently of molding paper, burnt coffee, and the sharp tang of magic.

"You enjoy reading Sophie; this is good. We've much research to do, and I'm far too busy to spend my days with my nose buried in a book."

She glanced up at him, questioning. "Alright. But what am I looking for?"

He gave a rather put upon sigh at that, walking her to a chair by the hearth and setting her down before disappearing into the stacks that turned the room into a labyrinth, and his voice called back to her. "Curses, my dear little mouse. You are to be studying up on curses. See what you can find out about when they go wrong. Anything."

"But... don't you already know all this?" she asked in reply, watching his Blond head as it bobbed about just above the line of the shelves as he walked this way and that, an ever growing collection of literature in his arms.

He snorted in reply to that. "I never finished my apprenticeship; I'd no need of it, and so I fear I missed a few lessons on this subject."

**********Note:** oh wow. i'm alive. I'm sorry guys; I was busy moving to a new city and getting settled in the apartment at the same time as a new job, whilst simultaneously trying to get over a nasty case of Altitude Sickness.   



	43. Demesne

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Demesne**

Books were Sophie's demesne; there was no question about that. She knew books better than anything else in the entire world. More than she understood her younger sisters when they fought over who their father had favored more, she knew the small indications of wear that hinted to the enthralled fingertips that had held these tombs before her. More than she understood the quiet people who sought refuge in her shop, she knew the smell of old ink as it settled against the parchment years after it was first laid there.

Sophie didn't always understood the words written on the pages, but the pages, she knew.

And as she read each line of each paragraph; stacks of them piled higher than even the books that circled the too-soft armchair she was curled upon, she found questions spiraling through her head, growing more intricate and complicated with each new book she opened, and in the uncounted hours she spent in the dimly lit library, she rose from the space she'd claimed for herself to gather more and more literature on the subject.

That was how Howl found her; sleeping with her head cradled against an open book that rested atop her knees; the questions and answers that raised so many more getting the better of her weary knew not how long she'd laid that way, nor how long he'd been beside her before she found herself opening her eyes to the warmth that was pressed so solidly against her calves.

He was there, sitting on the ground in front of her, a book half falling from his chest and a haphazard pile of them spread about his legs; mixing interchangeably with her own.

Set on the small table to their side was a plate of cold sandwiches, and colder tea; obviously having been sitting there for longer than she cared to think about as she reached for some; trying not to jostle the dosing man that was reclining against her.

It was a quiet sort of companionship; one she wasn't sure how to categorize just yet. But he'd brought her a snack, and he'd come to help even when he's said he couldn't be bothered to. And that said more about him than she could understand at the present, so she merely allowed herself to enjoy the fractured silence of their breathing, and the quiet turning of her next page.

**********Note:** Today was my first day off, and I spent it watching Romantic movies in Korean on Netflix, Reading mangas, finishing up 'The Girl Who Chased The Moon', writing, and procrastinating at being a productive adult because I needed to be cleaning the apartment, which i never actually did get around to.  



	44. Gossamer

**Disclaimer: I don't own Howls Moving Castle (the book or the movie, sadly), no matter how much i do love both versions so. I'm also not making a cent of profit from this; this is a fanbased work, merely for improving my own writing, and playing with themes.  
**

******Gossamer**

Howl awoke himself a short time later, but did not move from his spot against her legs, the only words he spoke were those asking for some of the food on the table; neither willing to test the gossamer thin thread of their company further.

It was almost as if he where toeing around her, carefully testing the boundaries she had set in place with slight provoking touches, like the way he settled himself more firmly against her calves, idly flipping the pages of his book.

"So you told me to look for anything on curses," she began, her voice sounding awkward and rough from disuse in the stillness of the library. "But what exactly do we need? I've read so much that it makes my head spin, and none of it makes any since at all."

Howl chuckled softly at that, snapping his own book shut. "Of course it doesn't make since; It's magic, it's not supposed to."

Her eyes narrowed at that, taking in the way his head leaned back slightly so that he could look up to her face, and she squelched the immediate terror that arose with the noticing of the fact that her eyes seemed slightly out of focus; unable to really see the lines of his angular face.

"Is that so?" her words where challenging as she forced herself to close her own eyes; unwilling to allow her worsening vision to scare her anymore. "That explains why you're the way you are then."

"What? Charming? Debonair? Handsome?"

"Annoying in that nothing you do ever makes since."

"Well, then you must be the same, my lovely little mouse, because you're magic too if that scying glass was anything to go by." She snorted in obvious dismissalof his comment, and so he continued on. "You, Sohpie Hatter, are the most confusing woman I've ever met. And I think I just might like it."

**********Note:** I'm feeling mildly uninspired, so this is what comes from my forcing myself to write SOMETHING.  



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